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The Campus Tour – Let’s Spread the Science

Are you a scientist? Are you interested in science communication?

Then keep reading!

Imagine a scene that might have taken place last week…

You were sitting at the table with your relatives, stuffing your face with delicious home-cooked food and chatting about the latest nonsense in the news. Everyone is quite entertained, maybe someone has drunk one too many glasses of wine, and the conversation is animated by the blinking lights that decorate the living room.

Then someone turns to you and asks, with some degree of interest:

“So tell us, have you discovered anything yet? When is that Nobel Prize coming?”

Everyone laughs.

“What is that you are studying, darling? I forgot.”

Oh, boy. You know they are somewhat interested, but not too interested. And they are a bit tipsy, so you can’t really elaborate extensively. You need to summarize the research from the last four years of your life in a couple of sentences. Something like a real-life tweet.

“I study a special cell type in our brains, called astrocytes, and how they help to make and maintain healthy connections between the brain’s main cells, neurons. We are making some interesting discoveries that may be important for disorders like autism, ADHD, and even schizophrenia.

“Oh, wow. Good job! What is it, again? Astro…?”

“Astrocytes.”

Success! They may even remember the name of those cells tomorrow. At least if they were to stop drinking all that wine…

***

Is this scenario somehow familiar? How many times have you had to explain your research to a non-scientist and gotten a blank stare in response? This is far more common that you may think. And nowadays, when fake news, misconceptions, and online arguments are the new normal, science communication has become not only a necessity but a responsibility for the scientific community.

At NeuWriteSD we are committed to science communication, not only through our posts, but also through different outreach events that we take part in.

As part of our commitment to science communication, we want to introduce you to — and encourage you to apply to — a workshop on February 10, at the Fleet Science Center in San Diego.

The Campus Tour will be held at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park, on February 10 from 1pm to 6pm. Free and first come, first served! Photo by Michael Seljos.

The People’s Science, in collaboration with ComSciCon and Friends of Joe’s Big Idea, are coming to San Diego to run a science communication workshop and write-a-thon that will help you hone your description of your research. This workshop will be helpful regardless of your future career plans, and it’s entirely free! Before the deadline, you’ll be prompted to submit a written piece to work on during the write-a-thon, where experts will help you perfect it.

Not only will the event be a great opportunity to practice your writing and science communication, but you will also have the chance to pick the brains of professional science communicators and local science writers. Join us to learn and expand your network! And get ready for the next family reunion, the next conversation about work at the brewery with your buddies, or the next internet troll.